Development of a near field measurement approach for comprehensive uplink/downlink exposure measurement and measurement campaign (DENMACHEN)

In this study, a novel plaster-based measurement device will be developed and evaluated in the framework of a measurement campaign. The device includes a flexible antenna with RF detector that can be attached to the head or other parts of the body. The direct measurement of the near-field RF-EMF exposure caused by the own mobile phone addresses a major gap in current personal RF-EMF exposure assessment.

Impact of mobile communication signals on the regulation of neural differentiation

Dr. David Schürmann, Dr. Angélique Ducray
Universität Basel

Details

The project will provide a significant and critical insight into the adverse effects of exposure to modulated RF-EMF as used for mobile communication (GSM) on signaling cascades and physiology as well as on morphological and epigenetic characteristics of neural cells in vitro.

Effects of WLAN Exposure on Sleep

Since a few years, most homes and offices are equipped with wireless local networks. Many people attribute their unspecific health symptoms to the radiation of this technology. Sleep disorders are among the most reported effects. The study investigates in a laboratory setting whether WiFi exposure has causal impacts on the sleep.

Millimeter waves and terahertz waves are expected to be used in many applications in the near future. However, knowledge regarding possible health consequences of increased applications and use of these waves is sparse. This project will overview and analyze the quality of relevant studies and determine if there is any statistical correlation between study quality and health related outcomes.

Identification and grouping of relevant experimental parameters to evaluate the effects of radiofrequency electromagnetic fields in in vitro studies (GROUPER)

Prof. Dr. Myrtill Simko
AIT Austrian Institute of Technology GmbH

Details

The project analyses the data in the published RF-EMF (radiofrequency EMF) in-vitro studies. Because the heterogeneity of these studies is very high (exposed cell types, investigated endpoints, applied exposures, etc.) almost no statistically robust conclusions have been drawn out of this data so far. The project will pool the data into, among others, biologically relevant groups. It is expected that (i) the subsequent analysis will increase in terms of statistical robustness and (ii) valid overall conclusions out of the published literature can be drawn.

Risk communication about the expansion of the electricity grid - Conflict analysis of international experiences and lessons for anticipatory governance in Switzerland

Prof. Dr. habil. Urs Dahinden
HTW Chur

Details

Which experiences have been gathered in Switzerland and abroad with conflicts about the expansion of the electricity grid? Which lessons can be drawn for the future conflict management? A new research project aims to answer these questions with the help of an analysis of media content (newspapers, online sources) and expert interviews.

Risk Perception and Acceptance of Electricity Networks in the Context of the Energy Transition

, Prof. Dr. Michael Siegrist
ETH Zürich

Details

The project examines whether people’s acceptance of power lines increases when they are considered with regard to a successful energy transition, and whether the perceived risk of EMFs decreases. A special focus of the project will be the impact of feelings on risk and benefit perception.

Ref. no:

42

Begin date:

01.03.2014 - 28.02.2017

Scientist/s:

, Prof. Dr. Michael Siegrist

Applicant/s:

Contactpersons/s:

()

Type:

University

Publication/s:

Lienert, P., Suetterlin, B., Siegrist , M. (2015). Public acceptance of the expansion and modification of high-voltage power lines in the context of the energy Transition. Energy Policy, 87, 573-583. Download Peer reviewed

Novel approaches to assess the contribution of close-to-body devices of the personal radiofrequency electromagnetic field exposure

Dr. Jürg Fröhlich, Prof. Dr. Martin Röösli
ETH Zürich

Details

In the project, the hard- and software of a smartphone-based personal exposure measurement system will be extended and improved to allow exposure assessment of close-to-body devices, particularly with regard to future epidemiological studies.

Cellular and molecular effects of pulsed electromagnetic fields

Dr. David Schürmann, Prof. Dr. Primo Schär
Universität Basel

Details

The project performs experiments to reveal whether PEMF-mediated reduction of cell-proliferation is a common phenomenon of cancer cells or rather restricted to a spectrum of responsive cancers, and to understand the mechanistics underlying the effects.

Neuroinflammation and Mobile Phone Exposure – NIMPHE

The project carries out an in-depth investigation of neuroinflammation in rats after repeated exposure to two mobile phone signals (GSM-900 and UMTS-1960). Astroglial and microglial populations, and complementary markers, will be used for investigating the inflammatory processes.

Assessment of ELF Current Distri-bution induced in the Human Head from UMTS and GSM Mobile Phones

Prof. Dr. Niels Kuster, Dr. Sven Kühn
IT'IS Foundation

Details

The project evaluates the maximum and the average usage-dependent induced electric fields and currents due to the exposure to LF magnetic fields created from mobile telephones operated at the human head.

Missed opportunities? A digital divide perspective on age related differences in the use of mobile communication

This project focuses on the digital divide between age groups. The project asks for age-specific opportunities and threats in the use of mobile communications, with a special emphasis on middle-aged and elderly people.

The use of mobilephones by Swiss adolescents: investigation into the borderline between engagement and addiction

This survey-study investigates into the mobile telephone usage behaviour among young people (12 to 19 years old) in Switzerland. Four user types are defined: “non-users”, “conservative users”, “engaged users” and “behaviourally addictive”.

Assessing the recall bias with regard the laterality of cell phone use

This experimental study investigates whether subjects that have been informed about a brain tumor in an avatar overestimate ipsilateral cell phone use of the avatar compared to subject that did not get this information.

RF and ELF-EMF: Gene-Pathway-Disease Analysis

The project identifies the cellular components that are modified by exposure to low and radio frequency electric and magnetic fields, links these components to their pathways and then uses existing linkage between these pathways and human disease to calculate correlations.

Protein expression at EMF exposed blood-brain-barrier in vitro

Universitätsklinikum Münster (D)

Details

The project investigates whether some genes encoding for proteins relevant for the blood-brain-barrier functionality that showed expressional changes after UMTS or GSM1800 exposure, also account for changes in protein expression or functional changes.

Consultation and counselling in environmental medicine: feasibility, demand and utility

Prof. Dr. Martin Röösli, Dr. Anke Huss
Universität Basel, Swiss TPH

Details

The project clarifies the need for Environmental Medicine Counselling in Switzerland, especially in connection with electromagnetic fields. The project documents, among others, who seek advice, the nature of the requests, the success of investigatory and counselling measures.

NIS-Portal: An internet-based information and literature platform on EMF issues

The project designs an internet based NIS-Portal which supports and facilitates information and literature gathering. The portal is focused on users from public authorities, teachers / pupils, the media as well as persons interested in the topic.

Radio Frequency Radiation Related to Mobile Communication and Radical Stress in Vivo

, Dr. Bernard Veyret
ENSCPB - CNRS, PIOM Laboratory

Details

The project investigates whether radio frequency fields linked to mobile communication can induce radical stress in the rat brain. Radical stress is known to contribute on the cellular level to human disease such as a number of neurodegenerative diseases.

Feychting, M. (2006) CEFALO - A case-control study of brain tumours in children and adolescents and mobile phone use. Joint Conference of the International Society for Environmental Epidemiology (ISEE) and the International Society for Exposure Assessment (ISEA), September 2-6, 2006, Paris (Abstract book). Peer reviewed

Thermosensor protein GrpE of the heat shock protein Hsp70 system as target for high-frequency electromagnetic fields

This in-vitro project investigates the molecular system GrpE that is well characterized with regard to its thermal behaviour. The conformational equilibrium will be measured under RF exposure in order to detect and study possible non-thermal effects.

Evaluation of the correlation between RF dosimeter reading and real human exposure

The project examines the correlation between values measured by exposimeters and the effective human exposure to mobile phone base stations signals for a representative selection of exposure scenarios by using measurement equipment and numerical software tools.

Diffusion of wireless technologies and technological lock-in

ETH Zürich, D-MTEC, Chair of Technology and Innovation Management

Details

The project investigates the importance of wireless technologies within companies, describes dependencies and discusses strategies to successfully manage exposure to technological lock-in risks in order to increase companies’capacity for sustainable growth.

An integrated model of EMF risk communication

The project consolidates with an expert delphi the available scientific knowledge and practical experiences in EMF risk communication, identifies the core elements of the debate and constructs a causal relationship model of the germane interdependencies.

Empirical measures of market power in the telecommunications sector

This empirical project measures the market power – the power of firms to raise prices above marginal cost – in the Swiss telecom sector and compares the results with international data and with known extreme market structure situations.

Association between EMF exposure from mobile phone base stations and selected performance indicators in dairy cows in a pilot area

Prof. Dr. Katharina Stärk Spallek
Bundesamt für Veterinärwesen

Details

The project investigates a possible association between exposure to high frequency EMF and selected performance indicators of dairy cows. The exposure is estimated with the help of location data from the Swiss pedigree breeding programme, exposure modelling, and field measurements.

The project describes what kind of mental models experts and lay people have about the causal relationship between EMF from mobile communication and health. A representative mail survey based on lay people’s mental models documents the prevalence of the risk beliefs.

Apoptosis in cultured brain cells following exposure to radiofrequency radiation

Brain derived cells will be exposed to mobile phone characteristic RF fields and the frequency of apoptosis be evaluated. In parallel, samples will be taken to assess the expression level of specific genes known to be associated with apoptosis.

Effects of UMTS radio-frequency fields on well-being and cognitive functions in human subjects with and without subjective complaints

TNO replication study and expansion
The goal of the project is to replicate the TNO-study that investigated into effects of electromagnetic fields on well-being and cognitive functions in humans with and without subjective compaints.

Impact of exposure to EMF on human genome stability: replication study and extension

Prof. Dr. Primo Schär, Prof. Dr. Niels Kuster
Universität Basel

Details

The project is designed as replication study and extension. It clarifies whether and to what extent EMF exposure induces DNA strand breaks in human cells. The cells are exposued to both ELF and RF fields.

The project clarifies by means of near-infrared spectrophotometry (NIRS) the short-term influence of EMF on cerebral perfusion and determines the dose response curve. NIRS is a non-invasive method to study changes in cerebral blood flow and blood volume.

The impact of precautionary measures and scientific uncertainties on laypersons' EMF risk perception

Forschungszentrum Jülich

Details

The project examines whether and how different information about uncertainties regarding risk assessment and different regulative measures invoked to implement the precautionary principle may influence, i.e. increase or reduce, laypersons’ risk perception.

Study on the feasibility of future epidemiological studies on health effects of mobile telephone base stations

This research project brings together in a collaborative effort leading international scientists in RF-engineering/dosimetry and epidemiology to jointly assess the feasibility of epidemiological studies on health impacts of RF-exposure from mobile phone base stations.

In the latest study we observed that EEG power in non-REM sleep was increased after exposure to “handset-like” EMF but not after continuous wave EMF exposure. In this project we want to validate the previous findings by assessing the dose - response relationship.

This research project follows a case-study approach to explore the different perception, thinking and communication patterns of Swiss interest groups participating in the public debate about mobile communication.

Tradescantia micronucleus bioassay for detecting mutagenicity of GSM- and UMTS-fields

The Tradescantia micronucleus bioassay (Trad-MCN) is used to detect possible mutagenic effects of mobile phone electromagnetic fields. Endpoint of the bioassay is the number of micronuclei (MCN) in the meiotic pollen mother cells of the plants.

Impact of information frames on laypersons’ risk appraisal

Forschungszentrum Jülich

Details

In this experimental study the impacts of two different information frames on laypersons' risk appraisal is investigated. Scientific evidence on EMF health risks is given to the study participants in table format (lists of study-findings) or text format (descriptions of the state-of-the art).

Conditions of risk perception concerning EMF and its dependency on different types of knowledge transfer

The project investigates the impacts of different types of knowledge transfer in risk communication on potential mobile technology health risks, as the transfer of "knowledge about the new technology" and the transfer of "knowledge about the risk context".

Influence of HF electromagnetic fields on the development and the molecular biology of the moss Physcomitrella patens and the nematode Caenorhabditits elegans

The project investigates macrospcopic and molecular effect of low-level elelctromagnetic fields on the moss Physcomitrella patens and on the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans in the range of 900 MHz – 1 GHz. The biology and genetics of both organisms is well known.

Analysing and monitoring print media coverage on EMF-risks

The project analysis and interprets the media coverage of EMF risks published in the national daily and weekly newspapers of German-speaking and French-speaking Switzerland in the period between 1995 and 2002.

Electromagnetic fields – perceived risks, social trust and confidence

Both social trust and confidence have an impact on people’s willingness to cooperate (e.g., accept electromagnetic fields). The project develops measures for trust and confidence and tests their impact on the willingness to cooperate in the applied context of EMF risk management.

The project investigates whether EMF exposure (type GSM-handset) prior to sleep has similar effects as exposure during sleep. With Positron Emission Tomography (PET) the study examines which areas of the brain are most affected by local exposure to EMF.

The project assesses the field inhomogeneities and uncertainties of conventional antennae used for measuring EMF in natural indoor-environments, evaluates optimal antennae, and defines robust measurment standards and measurement guidelines for indoor measurements.

A ferromagnetic transduction mechanism for radio frequency bioeffects

, Dr. Jon Dobson
Universitätsspital Zürich, Neurologische Klinik

Details

The project aims to use novel model systems to experimentally examine the effects of RF emissions from cellular telephones (GSM) on biogenic magnetite in living cells (magnetotactic bacteria), and to verify or refute by experiment the theoretical models of ferromagnetic transduction.

Agenda

News

The Swiss Research Foundation for Electricity and Mobile Communication (FSM) is a non-profit-making foundation with the purpose of promoting scientific research into the chances and risks of radio and electric power technologies that produce and use electromagnetic fields.